EXTRA‑FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE 2022
ADVANCE, the Group's new strategic plan through 2025, announced in March 2022, places sustainable development at the heart of the Group’s strategy and combines financial and extra‑financial performance.
The Group's scopes 1 and 2 CO₂ emissions totaled 39 million metric tonnes of CO₂‑equivalent in 2022. Thus, while the Group’s sales continued to grow with a strong momentum in 2022, CO₂ emissions(1) remained stable for the second consecutive year, in line with the ADVANCE plan's target of reaching an inflection point in 2025 before initiating a downward trend towards carbon neutrality in 2050.
In 2022, the Group continued to deploy the levers defined in the ADVANCE plan in order to align with this trajectory. Thus, a number of energy efficiency projects were decided, as well as the electrification of two ASUs in China ultimately reducing the Group’s emissions by approximately -1%. In addition, several contracts (PPAs) to supply 350 MW of renewable electricity capacity were signed in 2022 in the Netherlands, Italy, Germany and South Africa. Lastly, the Group is developing CO₂ capture projects on existing and future hydrogen production units. Deployed in early 2022 in all subsidiaries, a new governance ensures the monitoring and management of CO₂ emissions (reporting, budget, integration into reviews of investment projects, etc.).
The Group's carbon intensity remains stable at 5.5 kg of CO₂‑equivalent per euro of EBITDA(2).
The Group’s environmental commitment goes beyond climate objectives. Air Liquide is responsible for preserving water resources and biodiversity. Air Liquide published its policy and objectives regarding water management in 2021 and began its deployment in 2022. After an in‑depth analysis of the impacts and dependencies of its products and supply chain on biodiversity, Air Liquide has formalized a more detailed framework in 2022, which led it to make its first commitments to preserving biodiversity.
DEPLOYING ADVANCE LEVERS TO MEET CO₂ TRAJECTORY
CO₂
2035 emission reduction levers
- 1/3 CARBON CAPTURE USAGE / STORAGE
- 1/3 LOW‑CARBON ELECTRICITY SOURCING +350 MW
- 1/3 INDUSTRIAL ASSET MANAGEMENT
On social and societal topics, safety remains a fundamental value of the Group. The number of lost time accidents for Air Liquide employees and temporary workers decreased by -11% in 2022. Awareness and prevention actions are implemented over the long term with a “zero accidents” objective.
The share of the 67,100 Group employees with a common basis of care coverage, including death and disability insurance, healthcare and a minimum of 14 weeks of paid maternity leave reached 42% and increased by +8% compared to 2021. In 2022, each region drew up a roadmap for achieving the target which is set at 100% coverage by 2025.
1.8 million people now have access to medical oxygen in low‑ and middle‑income countries thanks to the Access Oxygen program. This is an increase of +70% compared to the end of 2021, supported by the development of an initiative in South Africa and a new pilot project in Kenya.
Finally, committed to its Shareholders, Air Liquide set up a new governance in 2022, which separates the functions of Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer.
- In metric tonnes of scopes 1 and 2 CO₂‑equivalent, “market‑based”, restated to take into account over a full year from 2020 and each subsequent year, the emissions of the assets which correspond to changes in scope (upwards and downwards) and which have a significant impact on CO₂ emissions.
- See definition and reconciliation in the appendices of Q4 2022 Press release & Management Report which can be found on Air Liquide official website.